


Near or Far, I've got your name on my heart

by PigSlay



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Internet Friends to Real Life Friends, Other, Platonic Soulmates, and Liam and Louis are romantic soulmates but that's barely mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-04-05 13:09:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4180998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PigSlay/pseuds/PigSlay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn and Niall have been internet friends for about a year now and, with some help from Louis, they’re finally going to meet each other in the flesh. When they do, they figure out something amazing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Near or Far, I've got your name on my heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mywonderwall](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mywonderwall/gifts).



> I don’t know One Direction. Also that title isn’t a reference to any song (that I’m aware of). I just couldn’t think of a title and that popped into my mind for some reason. Hahaha.
> 
> To Sarah: this will be us one day. I'm sure of it. <3

About a year ago – or, well, it will be a year ago in two months, but close enough right? – Zayn logged on to a website his friend Louis told him about. For the life of him, Zayn can’t even remember what the website was anymore. He thinks it had something to do with video games but he’s not sure.

He’s sure of one thing though; soon after he joined the website, he met one of his best friends of all time. Niall Horan. The two of them have exchanged Twitters, Facebooks, Skypes, even _numbers_. Pretty much everything you can name, they’ve given each other. Except for one thing: a real, in-person hug. However, that’s about to change soon.

**_Niall:_ ** _have ya got most of your stuff ready ?_

Zayn giggles at the text as he’s tying his shoes to get ready for work.

**_Zayn:_ ** _babe, we still have a whole other week before we see each other aha :) x_

**_Niall:_ ** _so ? is it wrong for me t be concerned ?_

**_Zayn:_ ** _I think you just can’t wait to see me aha ;)_

**_Niall:_ ** _well ya … so ya got everything ready?_

Zayn giggles again, shaking his head fondly. How did he get so lucky to have Niall as a friend?

**_Zayn:_ ** _yeah … i got everything_

**_Niall:_ ** _good . Now go to work or you’ll b late for ur shift_

The fact that Niall knows when Zayn’s shift is says a lot about how close they’ve become, in Zayn’s opinion. He loves it. Loves the fact that they know so much about each other, and, in just one week, they’ll be meeting each other in the flesh.

It had started about a month ago when Louis invited Zayn to go with him to a music festival. Louis had originally been planning to go with his friends Michael, Calum, and Luke, but the three of them were apparently on a polyamorous honeymoon together.

“Nice to know I’m your second choice,” Zayn had told him. “Or… fourth choice I guess.”

“Oh come onn, Zayn,” Louis complained. “You and I do stuff together _all_ the time. I figured you were getting sick of me.”

Zayn shook his head. “But wait, who’s gonna take the other two tickets then?”

“You didn’t really read the location of the festival, did you?” Louis winked, taking his ticket and leaving Zayn alone with the three others.

Zayn had been confused, but he looked closer at the tickets and started freaking out. The festival was in LA, where Niall lived. He immediately took out his phone, snapped pictures of the tickets, and sent a text to Niall.

**_Zayn:_ ** _i know this is out of the blue , but would u and Liam be willing to come with me and Louis to this festival?_

He got a response almost immediately.

**_Niall:_ ** _heck ya ! that’d be sick ! will you all be staying in LA for very long after the festival is over ?_

Zayn thought for a moment. He wasn’t sure whether or not Louis would be willing to stay for long because Louis can never stay in one place for a long time, but Zayn would, one way or another, make it so HE could stay for at least like… five days maybe.

**_Zayn:_ ** _I think I can make that happen aha ;)_

**_Niall:_ ** _sick ! can’t wait !_

Zayn had tried to contain his excitement as he walked into Louis’ room, big grin on his face. “He said yes! Niall said yes!”

“Aw man, are you two gonna go on a honeymoon now too?” Louis teased.

Zayn lightly shoved Louis’ arm. “No you weirdo. He, his flat mate, me, and you are going to the festival together!” Zayn couldn’t contain his excitement anymore; he started jumping up and down and making happy noises, resulting in giggles from Louis.

“You look like a child who just got what they wanted for Christmas,” Louis had pointed out.

“I feel like one!” Zayn replied honestly, sighing happily and falling down onto Louis’ bed. He really did too. This was one thing he didn’t think would ever happen, getting to meet Niall in the flesh. Although Louis and him had been best friends since birth practically, there was just something about Niall that had instantly clicked with Zayn.

He still can’t believe it’s happening, even now. He keeps getting scared that something’s going to go wrong, that Niall or Liam will cancel and Zayn will have built the day up in his head and cancelled so much time off of work for nothing. Something in him tells him not to worry though, that Niall will make sure that doesn’t happen.

One week later…

Zayn can’t believe it’s actually happening. He and Louis are flying from DC to LA. Usually flights scare him and usually if it takes five hours+ to get somewhere he finds himself drifting off to sleep, but he can’t sleep. He can’t be afraid, either. Because he’s going to meet Niall soon. He’s going to meet Niall, and they’re going to run into each other’s arms and give each other the biggest hug ever.

Zayn tries to not let his mind go on overdrive too much. He tries to read a book that he brought with him, but he sees something silly like the word “green” or “Irish” and will flashback to their very first Skype session where Zayn was shocked to hear Niall’s accent and Niall told him that he was actually from Ireland, but decided to go on an adventure with his flat mate, Liam, to study in the states.

“And what about you?” Niall had asked. “You don’t sound like most DC lads either.” He chuckled.

Zayn chuckled back. “Yeah, ’m originally from the UK but my flat mate, Louis, _also_ wanted to go on an adventure to the states. Funny how we’re so similar, yet so different.” Zayn remembers being afraid that that had sounded too romantic when he really didn’t mean it like that at all, but Niall had laughed and agreed with him.

Eventually Zayn decides he can’t focus on his book and, bookmarking his place, picks up his phone to look back through the photos he has saved of Niall instead. Louis always calls him weird for doing that; saving pictures of his Internet friends.

“You weren’t complaining when I saved pictures of you to my phone,” Zayn had scoffed.

“Yeah but you actually know me,” Louis pointed out. “You don’t know Niall or Amy or any of those other people you’ve met online.”

Zayn had just stuck his tongue out at him and continued saving pictures of Niall. He likes saving pictures of his friends, _especially_ if he doesn’t know them in the flesh (yet). He feels like if he can’t see them in the flesh every day, at least he has pictures of them to keep him happy for now.

He must’ve gone through his pictures of, and various screencapped text conversations with, Niall like eighteen times when the pilot says “we’ve landed!”

Zayn smiles probably the biggest smile he’s ever had, practically jumping up and down in his seat. He wastes no time in sending a text to Niall.

**_Zayn:_ ** _Nialllllllllll, I’m heerrreeee ! :D_

**_Niall:_ ** _lol you sound like Liam with all these extra letters , but we’re here too !_

Zayn shakes his head fondly.

**_Zayn:_ ** _Duh silly. I know you’re in LA. We’ve known each other’s locations for how long now?_

**_Niall:_ ** _no , i mean like … we’re in the airport. waiting for you guys._

Zayn’s heart skips a beat. They’re in the airport right now. Waiting for him and Louis.

**_Zayn:_ ** _what?_

**_Niall:_ ** _ya , we’re in t airport. come on out here and greet us._

Zayn doesn’t have to be told twice. He quickly unbuckles his seatbelt and pushes at Louis’ shoulders. “Louis! Wake up right now!”

“What the- oh, have we landed already?” Louis yawns.

“Yes, and they’re here!” Zayn announces, getting up and getting his bags out.

“What do you mean they’re here?” Louis questions, unbuckling and stretching.

“I mean, Niall and Liam are in the airport!” Zayn tells him. “Come on, we gotta go now!”

“Okay, okay,” Louis sighs, getting up slowly. As soon as Louis gets both of his bags, Zayn doesn’t even wait any longer. He doesn’t care if Louis will catch up or not. If Niall’s in the airport right now, he’s not going to stop running until he finds him.

When he does find him though, he pauses for just a moment, speechless. He can’t believe Niall is right here, sitting on a bench just a few feet in front of him. He’s about to cry happy tears if he’s honest. Suddenly, Niall turns to face him and yep, those are tears forming in Zayn’s eyes.

He runs toward Niall, not even caring that one of his bags falls – there’s nothing important in it and he’ll come back for it in a minute. Niall stands up and starts running towards him too, and the two boys hug each other tight and long.

“I can’t believe it,” Zayn says through sobs. “I can’t believe I’m actually hugging you, I can’t believe we’re actually here together after so long of just Skyping and stuff.”

“Me neither,” Niall responds, crying just as much.

“Zayn!” Louis calls from behind him. “How dare you just leave me like that! And oh, look, you dropped one of your bags too. I’m picking it up for you, even though you don’t deserve it for leaving me all alone like that.”

Zayn pulls back for a moment and he tries to say something sassy, but all he can say is, “Louis, he’s real. Niall’s real. And we’ve finally met each other in the flesh.”

Louis obviously wants to remain stern, but he starts smiling instead. “I know, I’m so happy for you.”

Before Zayn can resume hugging Niall though, he gasps. “Niall, your chest!”

“I know,” Niall teases. “Been doing some work-outs with Payno over here-” he motions to Liam, just sitting casually on the bench and smiling. “Don’t mean to brag or anything but I think I may be getting a six-pack soon.” He winks.

Zayn laughs. “No you dork. Look down at your chest.”

Niall looks down and gasps too, seeing what Zayn’s talking about. There, on his chest, is ‘Zayn’ written in blue letters with a heart after it, just like how Zayn writes his signatures. Niall pulls up Zayn’s shirt and Zayn also has ‘Niall’ written on his chest in blue letters.

“So, wait, what does this mean?” Niall asks, confused. “That we’re like, destined to be in a relationship together or something?” Niall shivers. “That’d be disgusting.”

Zayn laughs, knowing there’s no malice in what Niall’s saying. The two of them are best friends, and there’s no way they could ever be more than that. “No. My mum told me about these. When it’s in red, _that’s_ your romantic soulmate, but when it’s in blue, that’s your platonic soulmate.” Zayn smiles widely. “So basically the two of us are going to be best friends forever.”

“I think I already knew that,” Niall grins back, pulling Zayn back in for another hug. Zayn closes his eyes, wanting to remember every second of this. Niall’s hands against his back, his hands against Niall’s back, their heads on each other’s shoulders, and how great it feels to finally be able to hold each other.

He hears Louis sitting down on the bench next to Liam. “Our friends are so weird.”

Liam laughs. “You can say that again.” Zayn opens his eyes and looks at the two of them. “I’m Liam, but Zayn probably told you that already. I’m guessing you’re Louis?”

“Yep,” Louis confirms, shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you.” When the two of them stop shaking hands, they gasp. Niall turns around at the sound.

“Well,” Liam says, smiling. “How about that? Looks like I just found my romantic soulmate.” He and Louis, who looks genuinely speechless, hold up their arms which now have each other’s names written on them in red.

Zayn and Niall turn back to each other, laughing. “Well,” Zayn says. “I guess it’s a really good thing Louis’ friends decided to go on a honeymoon.” He winks.

They all stay there for a few more minutes, Zayn and Niall not wanting to leave each other’s arms but eventually having to. The actual festival the next day is amazing, and Zayn and Niall try not to tease Louis and Liam too much when they see them sharing tiny kisses over the romantic songs.

When it’s time for Louis and Zayn to leave, neither of them want to, but all four of them also have faith that one day they will see each other again. They have to, right? They _are_ soulmates after all, and soulmates, platonic or romantic, always find their way back to each other in the end.


End file.
